Box Score The Carthage College men's soccer team (12-5-0, 2-3-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked eighth in the Oct. 16 National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Continental Tire Central Region poll, lost to CCIW-opponent North Park University (9-2-4, 3-0-2 CCIW), 3-2, on Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Holmgren Athletic Complex in Chicago. The Vikings were ranked ninth in the regional poll.  The loss dropped the Red Men to sixth place in the league, with the top-four teams qualifying for the CCIW Men's Soccer Tournament.  
 
Carthage took an early, 1-0 lead on a goal by Drew Liogas (Sr., Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township), assisted by Jordan Innis, at 12:34 first period.  North Park tied the game at 32:04 on a goal by Robin Hals.  The Vikings went up, 3-1, in the second half.  Filip Lindmark scored on a corner kick at 45:57 and Fredrik Greiff on a free kick at 63:32.  The Red Men narrowed the margin to 3-2 at 84:19 on a goal by Billy Hamilton (Jr., Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator), assisted by Michael Dombrowski.
 
“Ironically, said Carthage coach Steve Domin, “I was talking to our coaches before the game, and we felt it would take three goals to win this one.  I still felt that way when we were up early and in control of the match.  Surrendering two quick goals on a free kick and a corner kick gave them the breathing room they needed for a portion of the game.  They were gifts, but they turned them into earned goals.  We've have had some real battles with these guys over the last three or four years and have been fortunate to be on the right side of it, just not tonight.  We threatened in the last five minutes, which made for a very entertaining ending, highlighted by two shots off the woodwork and a handful of headers just off scoring mark for us.”
 
Carthage travels to Elmhurst, Ill., on Wednesday, Oct. 24 to play CCIW-opponent Elmhurst College (8-9-0, 0-5-0 CCIW) in a 7:30 p.m. game at Langhorst Field. The Red Men close out the regular season on Saturday, Oct. 27 by playing host to second-place Illinois Wesleyan University in a 3:30 p.m. contest at Art Keller Field in Kenosha, Wis.